Future classics from the 2000s

Previous decades have already left us their classics – the 90s gave us the Audi TT, the Ford Puma and the Renault Clio Williams, while the 1980s wouldn't have been the same without the VW Golf GTI, the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth or the Peugeot 205.

You might think it's a little too soon to start earmarking future classics from the 2000s, a decade that seems not long gone. But we’re always thinking about the next great classics here at Lancaster and protecting them for the future.

We've got a nice range for you here, from everyone's favourite fun-handling hatchback via an early hybrid pioneer, past a packaging miracle from Audi and on into eye-catching French luxury car territory.

These are all great cars, still holding up well today: and any of them would make a great future-classic acquisition.

When they do come of age, you’ll be needing some classic auto insurance to protect them. OK, so HMRC's definition of a classic is a car aged 15 years or more (and plenty on this list will already qualify there), but in the real world, even younger cars have the potential to be insured under the title 'classic' if they are being used in the true classic sense.

So, read on, and enjoy a trip not so very far down memory lane. And who knows, perhaps it will inspire your next trip to the auction…

MG ZS 180 (2001-2005)

On the outside, it's a Rover 45 with added aggression, thanks to some new bumpers and side skirts. Peer deeper within, though, and you'll find a 2.5-litre V6 engine that moves the MG ZS 180 around… well, pretty fast. Offering up 175 bhp, the V6 took the MG from 0 to 60 in a mere 7.3 seconds and could achieve a top speed of 139mph.

We think they're handsome cars; they'll also be enormous fun to drive, and apart from their sporting credentials they deserve classic status for their place in the MG / Rover story – created as they were from the 45 after BMW sold off Rover in April 2020, and a key part of the final years of MG Rover until the company's demise in 2005.

Price range: You can probably find a 2002 ZS 180 for around £700. Lovingly maintained examples (and many will be) will go up into four figures.

Mini One / Cooper / Cooper S (2000-2006)

There's so much to recommend the first generation of the beautifully reinvented Mini. Brilliant handling, oodles of driving fun, strong image and a funky interior will do for starters. Not to mention the fact that you'll be owning a British motoring icon, savvily reinvented for the modern world by another icon (thank you, BMW).

Anything holding it back? Well, there's not much room in the back, if that's ever a priority, and the boot is tiny. Oh, and avoid the rather sluggish diesel.

Price range: £700-£3,000. You can get a decent standard One from 2003 with around 100,000 miles for around £1,000. The Cooper will command a premium of £200 over the standard One, the Cooper S another £500 on top of that.

Ford Focus Mk1 (1998-2005)

The Mk1 Focus was a brilliant car, comfortably the best to drive of its class. Of course, it was a top seller, and as such is still a bit too common on our roads to label itself a classic. They're already a fair bit rarer than the common or garden Mk2s, though, and we reckon that in five years or so, the Mk1 should acquire classic status.

There's plenty to recommend them, starting with that legendarily fine handling and typical Ford driving fun, and extending to practicality and build quality. There's a great choice of engines and trim level, too. Pick yourself up a 'warm' ST for a little extra and you've got a future classic on your hands – as well as a genuinely quick, fun drive.

Price range: £300 to £2,000. You can probably pick up a 2003/03 reg ST170 for around £1,000 from a dealer, or a 1.6 mid-spec Zetec for around £800.

VW Golf MkV GTI (2004-2010)

After the game-changers that were the Mk1 and Mk2 GTIs, Volkswagen seemed to take the heat off its hot hatch Golf for a couple of generations. As a result, the Mk3 and the Mk4 GTIs are not that special in comparison, either to look at or to drive.

The Mk5, though, saw a welcome return to form for the Golf GTI. Great looking with its sporty red detailing and alloy wheels, it was also potent (thanks to a 2.0-litre engine) and easy to drive. This one should join the Mk1 and Mk2 GTIs as a genuine classic before too long.

Price range: These are popular, and prices reflect that. You can get an early one that's done some miles for around £3,000. A Mk5 GTI in good condition, with full-service history and under 50,000 miles on the clock, should be somewhere between £7,000 and £10,000. These are highly coveted vehicles, and you may want to test yours to its full capabilities: both compelling reasons for some good classic motor insurance.

Honda Insight (2000-2006)

The words 'hybrid' and 'electric' are on everyone's lips now. Back in 1999, though not so much (the pioneer, the first Prius, was two years old).

Enter the Honda Insight, an eye-catching two-seater that was light (it was made from aluminium), aerodynamic and fuel-efficient.

Honda paired a three-cylinder petrol engine to an electric motor to create a hybrid system that gave the Insight a claimed 83.1 miles per gallon. The Insight's CO2 emissions of 80g/km, meanwhile, will still get you into one of the lower tax bands today.

As well as saving fuel, that light weight made the Insight a lot of fun to drive. It's now quite a prized classic, thanks to its originality and its place at the dawn of hybrid production cars.

Price range: £5,000 to £10,000.

Porsche Boxster (2004-2011)

If you want to get your hands on a Porsche from the last two decades and don't have deep pockets, the Boxster is probably the way to go.

This nippy little roadster is quite a lot more affordable that an equivalent 911 – but no less special to own. It's a Porsche, after all, so it's beautifully engineered, a hoot to drive, and sounds wonderful. It's probably the best affordable two-seater open-top sports car out there.

Both six-cylinder engines produce a throaty roar and give wonderful acceleration. With its taut frame and nicely weighted steering, the Boxster also handles beautifully. The electric roof does its business very competently, too.

Just don't expect luxury, unless you find a well-specced version – the standard kit wasn't especially generous. A minor gripe, though, in an otherwise glowing report.

Price range: You should find a nice 2005 or 2006 model that's done 100,000 miles for around £9,000. Porsche always come near the top of reliability surveys, so don't worry about buying a car that's taken a few trips. A candidate for some classic car insurance, though.

Citroen C6 (2005-2012)

The DS, the SM, the CX, the XM… Citroen have always put plenty of style, individuality and cutting-edge (even futuristic) design into their flagship cars, and the C6 continued this fine tradition.

For our money one of the most striking cars of the decade, the C6 effectively modernised the long, gracefully swooping looks of the CX from the 80s. A light, airy interior, soft seats and hydropneumatic suspension all conspired to produce a suitably cosseting experience inside.

Being a Citroen, the C6 depreciated much faster than its German rivals, and for some years after it was retired it was an excellent used buy. It's still an attractive proposition: a lot of (very stylish) car for the money. Team it with some strong classic car insurance to give the big French saloon the protection it deserves.

Price range: You should find something on a 59 plate with over 100,000 miles on the clock for around £6,000; a well-specced example with 70,000 may be nearer £11,000.

Audi A2 (2000-2005)

A little like its contemporary the Mk1 Honda Jazz, the Audi A2 was a miracle of packaging. It was surprisingly spacious inside that little frame – and we've always liked the slightly futuristic looks.

Audi have often produced cars that have moved the game on (think 1982's strikingly handsome 100 C3 saloon, or the original TT coupé), and the A2 continued this tradition.

Designed as an all-aluminium monocoque (or single shell – the body and chassis were all one piece), the Audi A2 was a strikingly lightweight car. Result: great fuel economy (typically over 60mpg), and a nice drive. Plus, you've got the Audi badge prestige. All in all, a very desirable Noughties classic-in-the-making.

They weren't big sellers which means that, once you find the right one, you've also got rarity value on your side.

Price range: You should be able to get a 2004 car, albeit with somewhere between 100,000 and 150,000 miles, for around £2,000.

Range Rover Mk3 (2001-2012)

Land Rover's original Range Rover made a huge impression when it entered the market in 1969: so much so that the firm saw no need for any major changes to the car, throughout its long first (1969-1996) and somewhat consolidating second generation (1994-2002).

Come the third iteration, though, Land Rover recognised the need for a refresh, and the Mk3 enjoyed much more modern looks, new engines and more of a premium feel inside.

The original luxury large SUV, the Mk3's influence can't be overstated. It was very popular, meaning that there are plenty of examples on the used market today.

Price range: A car this luxurious should be protected with a strong classic car insurance policy. We'd therefore recommend the relatively affordable, not-too-thirsty 3.0 or 3.6-litre diesels: we found a 2004 3-litre with 80,000 miles for £8,000.

Skoda Octavia vRS (2001-2005)

The Octavia vRS has a certain 'sleeper' cachet – a powerful hot hatch hidden inside an otherwise unremarkable-looking car.

The Octavia was the model that upended Skoda's reputation, turning them from the butt of jokes about ancient Communist-era engineering into a respected car marque. As for the vRS, this proved to the driving masses that Skoda could build not just a great car, but a great-driving one.

The Mk1 Octavia's hot hatch form sold well in this country, meaning that there are plenty of examples around for the discerning buyer.

Price range: Set aside £4,000 for a 2005 example that's done around 100,000 miles, although you could get as low as £2,000 for an older or well-travelled individual.

Jaguar XJ (X350) (2004-2010)

The 2010 Jaguar XJ featured the bold new looks that we'd first seen on the smaller XF three years before. As such, the 2002-2009 model is the last of the old guard of XJs – meaning you get those iconic looks that had survived, relatively unchanged, since 1973.

This last hurrah may look old-school, but under the bonnet and in the lavish interior it was already modernising fast: the first Jaguar XJ to be completely designed under Ford ownership, the X350 features up-to-the-minute electronics and computer-controlled systems, and has an aluminium body and chassis, lightweight suspension, and a tempting array of toys including cruise control, two-zone climate control, and an optional touchscreen for your Bluetooth phone and more.

Like the Porsche, this is another beautifully built car that should go on swallowing up the miles for years to come, so you needn't run scared from high-mileage examples.

Price range: Big differences here, depending on age, miles, and the various engines and specs. A nicely equipped 4.2 V8 Sovereign edition from, say, 2009 may set you back £15,000. On the other hand, a high-mileage 2.7 diesel with standard kit may be nearer £2,500.

Fiat Panda 100HP (2006-2010)

Even in base-spec form, the second-generation Fiat Panda had much to recommend it. It was a genuine compact city car with plenty of charm and style – we love that markedly curved roof and the cheeky little rear quarterlight window.

For its hot hatch derivative, Fiat took the six-speed gearbox and 1.4-litre, four-cylinder engine from the Panda's big brother, the Punto. They then stiffened up and lowered the suspension, and added a sporty steering system, body styling and wheels. And voilà! (or rather, ecco!): the hot Panda was born.

Its low weight and peppy engine made the Panda 100hp an instant hit, and it's since become something of a cult favourite. This means that prices may be slightly higher than you're expecting – but we reckon they’re worth every penny, for the amount of fun you'll have in one of these.

Price range: Expect to lay out around £2,000 for a high-miler and/or early example; a well-maintained 10 plate with, say, 80,000 will be nearer £3,000.

Protect your collection with classic car insurance

Whether you're considering one of these future classics or have a classic of your own in the garage, you will want to give your much-loved motor the protection it deserves.

Using our wealth of experience and knowledge of the industry, here at Lancaster we can quote for virtually every classic car available.

Contact us today to find out how we can help you protect your classic.

Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may very between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Information contained within this article is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.